Research Paper Note Cards

Research Paper Note Cards Stonitsch & Orr

What do I do after finding, reading, & Highlighting my sources? You have read and highlighted your sources. Make sure you use different sources from different sites, but you can use the same database to find several sources. You will take all of your sources that you find, including any new ones you look for this week, and create a Works Cited Draft. Now, what do you do with this highlighted information? You take each highlighted piece and put it onto a note card.

WHAT GOES ON A NOTE CARD? • Information that you have highlighted when reading your sources • You then take this highlighted material and either directly quote it, paraphrase it, or summarize it on your note card • Remember: Only one piece of information or fact per note card • Information you did not know about your topic that you get from another author

Using another writer’s words as your own… the right way! • Summarize • Paraphrase • Quote • Include your own thoughts about what the writer has to say ALWAYS GIVE THE CREDIT TO THE REAL AUTHOR!

Use direct quotes • For support • To preserve vivid or technical language • To comment on a quotation • To distance yourself from a quotation • To paraphrase might alter the statement’s meaning • Because you can’t think of any way to say it that works as well as the original • If you paraphrase it might be difficult to tell it isn’t your view • Example of a direct quote with parenthetical citation: • “Nirvana used extreme changes of tempo ad volume to express anger and alienation: a quiet, tuneful verse switched into a ferocious, distorted chorus” (Savage).

Using direct quotes Remember the Quotation Rules: • USING A DIRECT QUOTE IS YOUR LAST CHOICE UNLESS YOU ARE CITING SONG LYRICS. • Don’t use a quote unless you can’t say it in your own words. • Quote infrequently—once a page would be plenty in a student paper. • Never end a paragraph with a quote. Never expect the quote to make your point for you. • Always wrap-up in your own words in 3rd person. • Never use long quotes (2-3 sentences would be maximum length for a student paper) • You must always explain how a quote supports your point or thesis = • This means that you never drop a quote in your paper without setting it up or introducing it; then after you include it, you must explain it / tie it to your point in your own words but in 3rd person. NO QUOTE BOMBS ***You must always set-up or lead into your quote, then state quote, then explain it. ***Every sentence in your paragraph must flow from one to the next, even with quotes. ***ALL QUOTES MUST INCLUDE A CITATIONS (Johnson 4) or (“Kurt Cobain”)

Using direct quotes An example of a lead-in statement followed by a direct quote with citation that is followed by an explanation: Nirvana’s sound combined with its song content created a rollercoaster of emotions. “Nirvana used extreme changes of tempo ad volume to express anger and alienation: a quiet, tuneful verse switched into a ferocious, distorted chorus” (Savage). The rough and angry sound of Nirvana was distorted, but it was very relatable and very popular amongst the angst-ridden youth of the decade. Pink is Lead-In to Direct Quote Red is the Direct Quote with a Citation Black is the explanation to the quote that ties to the thesis point of their grunge sound being popular. **NOTICE THAT EACH SENTENCE IS DIFFERENT AND FLOWS FROM ONE TO THE NEXT. • ;

QUOTE Use quotation marks “ “ to show EXACTLY what the author was saying (Do NOT use more than 4 lines). • Include Author’s Last Name and Page Number on which you found the information, directly after the quote in a citation—If no page number, just author’s last name. • If there isn’t an author, then you put the article title in “” inside the citation (“Kurt Cobain”). Example of a Lead-In with your own words tied to a Quote in the same sentence. , Rhythmic writers shouted “poetry rocks!” (Hughes 2). • If you do not have an page number, then only include the author’s last name. (Hughes).

Paraphrasing When do you use paraphrase in your essay rather than a direct quote? • Most of the time your source is not authoritative or interesting enough to quote and you should paraphrase the ideas instead. Paraphrasing makes it easier to incorporate the ideas of another writer into your paper. • Use paraphrase to give your readers an accurate and comprehensive account of ideas in your source—ideas you will explain, interpret or disagree with in your essay. • Paraphrasing can help you understand difficult passages which can help you prepare for writing. Describe a good paraphrase. • Is accurate: should accurately represent the author’s ideas • Is complete: should tell the whole idea of author • In your own voice: don’t just substitute synonyms for key words and leave the rest unchanged. Your words and voice should convey the information. • Should make sense by itself: like a summary, you should be able to read a paraphrase and feel it is done in sentences which flow together naturally.

What is the difference between a paraphrase & a summary? A PARAPHRASE: • Records a short passage • Covers every point in the passage • Records ideas in the same order as the original passage (not same wording) • Does not interpret—You would do that or explain after your paraphrase and citation • Is a bit shorter than the original but longer than a summary A SUMMARY: • Records a passage of any length • Condenses and includes only main ideas • Changes the order of ideas when necessary to make the summary more clear • Might explain or interpret within the summary • Much shorter than the original

When would you use a paraphrase instead of a summary? • A paraphrase is necessary when you want your reader to completely understand another author’s text or when you are arguing against a specific point • a summary is used when you are referring only generally to the original or are using that piece as only one of several you are citing for a particular point.

Original wording from source: "I had to explain to him that I was deaf. I said, 'Wait; I can't hear; please talk slowly.' He looked at me and said, 'What?' I told him again I was deaf, and he said, 'Oh.' He pointed to a door and told me to go through that door. I followed his instructions. I opened the door and walked through it, closing the door behind me. I found that I was in the hallway near the elevator where I had just come up. I was shocked! He had rejected me without any explanation. I got into the elevator, and as it descended, I felt very letdown. I couldn't understand why he didn't give me a chance to explain that I could do the job well. It didn't require hearing!" Source Citation: Bragg, Bernard. “My First Summer Job.” A Handful of Stories. New York: Penguin Books: 19, 2001. Print.

PARAPHRASEAn Example of paraphrasing what you read In A Handful of Stories, Bernard Bragg tells a story of trying to get a job. One time he told a potential employer he was deaf, and the man just pointed to the door. Mr. Bragg, not realizing the man was telling him to leave, opened the door and stepped out. Not until he went out the door did he realize he had been rejected because he was deaf (19).

Example of a Summary from the Same Information • In A Handful of Stories, the narrator tells a story about being rejected for a job because he couldn’t hear. He didn’t realize he was being turned down by this potential employer until after he left (Bragg 19).

PLAGIARISM • It's like lip-synching to someone else's voice and accepting the applause and rewards for yourself. • IF YOU PLAGIARIZE, YOU WILL FAIL!!! …any time you take a writer’s words and use them as your own, you are plagiarizing • Even when you are summarizing or paraphrasing in your words, they were not your words originally; so you must cite at the end of the paraphrase or summary

Original Source Material: Developing complex skills in the classroom involves the key ingredients identified in teaching pigeons to play ping-pong and to bowl. The key ingredients are (1) inducing a response, (2) reinforcing subtle improvements or refinements in the behavior, (3) providing for the transfer of stimulus control by gradually withdrawing the prompts or cues, and (4) scheduling reinforcements so that the ratio of reinforcements in responses gradually increases and natural reinforcers can maintain their behavior. • Gredler, Margaret. Learning and Instruction: Theory Into Practice (4th Ed). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 2001.

PLAGIARIZED OR PARAPHRASED? YOU DECIDE • Inducing a response, providing for the transfer of stimulus control by gradually withdrawing prompts or cues, reinforcing subtle improvements in the behavior, and scheduling reinforcements so that natural reinforcers can maintain their behavior are the key ingredients identified both in teaching pigeons to play ping-pong and in developing complex skills in the classroom.

IT WAS PLAGIARIZED!!!! • Why Plagiarism? The student merely moved the author’s words around, inserting and deleting small portions as needed. The student has not used quotation marks for the portions that are still identical to the original, and has not credited the original author. • LOOK AT AGAIN • Inducing a response, providing for the transfer of stimulus control by gradually withdrawing prompts or cues, reinforcing subtle improvements in the behavior, and scheduling reinforcements so that natural reinforcers can maintain their behavior are the key ingredients identified both in teaching pigeons to play ping-pong and in developing complex skills in the classroom.

Correct Version: The same factors apply to developing complex skills in a classroom setting as to developing complex skills in any setting. A response must be induced, then reinforced as it gets closer to the desired behavior. Reinforcers have to be scheduled carefully, and cues have to be withdrawn gradually so that the new behaviors can be transferred and maintained (Gredler).***This conveys the same point, without changing any ideas; however, this is done in different wording and structure and provides a citation at the end of the paraphrase = which is mandatory.

Now, let’s look at a hand out to review plagiarism

So, what goes on the Note Card?? As you find interesting facts about your topic, you will write them down. Each idea should be quoted word for word, paraphrased, summarized (in your own words), or your own ideas (known as a My Ideas card) and written on a card.

Stay organized… In order to keep your ideas in order, and to remember where you found the ideas, there are four items that you should include on the index card

1. Card Topic Topic is the kind of information on the card. Think of it as the title, or main idea of the card. After writing down the information, figure out how you could briefly categorize, or title it.

Card Topic For example, if you are writing a paper on the life and works of the poet, Langston Hughes, you may have cards with topics such as: • Hughes' upbringing • Hughes' influences • Hughes' poetry • Hughes' political beliefs • Hughes' influence on America These categories or your 3 points or background will become your Roman Numerals on your outline and you will organize your cards based on your 3 points or background

Sample Note Cards Organized by Card Topic

2. Source Title In this example, the source was given a number, instead of writing out the entire title, author, etc. YOU WILL ONLY WRITE A NUMBER AND CIRCLE IT INSTEAD OF WRITING SOURCE #3 • The source title is the name of the book, magazine, website, etc., in which you found the information.

3. paraphrased information It is helpful to paraphraseor summarize most of your research on the index cards. If you are consistent in paraphrasingat this stage, then you will be certain not to accidentally plagiarize someone else's work. You will also have less work to do when you are actually writing the paper.

4. page numbers It is important to be accurate with the page numbers, if provided, on your note cards, as you will need them for citations throughout your research paper. YOU WILL WRITE PAGE NUMBER IF THERE ARE TRUE PAGE NUMBERS. 1 OF 4, 2 OF 4, AND SO ON ARE NOT PAGE NUMBERS. IF THERE AREN’T ANY TRUE PAGE NUMBERS, WRITE np for no pagination

THE END! Now, you will begin working on your note cards or completing your Works Cited Draft. I have a tips sheet for you that will help you on your Work Cited Draft and your note cards. You will use my sample template that is found on my website to create your note cards. YOU MUST MAKE A COPY FIRST BEFORE TYPING YOUR NOTE CARDS. YOU WILL PRINT OUT YOUR NOTE CARDS, CUT THEM, AND ORGANIZE THEM INTO PILES IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: Background Thesis Point 1— Thesis Point 2 Thesis Point 3

Research Paper Note Cards